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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOn a supported Android foldable, open the larger inner display, launch the first app, open Recents (or use your phone’s Multi window gesture), choose split screen, and select a second app. Drag the divider to give either app more space. For an overlapping window, use Samsung Pop-up view or a Google Pixel bubble, then move, resize, minimize, or close the smaller window.
The exact command names, gestures, number of windows, and behavior when you fold the phone depend on the manufacturer, Android or One UI release, display being used, and whether each app supports that window mode.
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What split screen and floating windows do
Split screen divides one display into two app areas. Both apps remain visible, so you can read a web page while writing notes, watch a video while messaging, or keep a calendar open beside email. A divider between the panes lets you allocate more width to the app that needs it.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →A floating window sits above another app instead of dividing the display into equal panes. Samsung calls this Pop-up view. On Pixel devices, a supported app can open as a bubble, a small movable window that expands when tapped. Floating windows are useful for short lookups—a calculator, password manager, map, or message thread—without permanently shrinking the main app.
#1 Best Overall
- A premium foldable smartphone featuring an 8.0" Dynamic AMOLED 2X main display, 6.5" cover display, 200MP main camera, Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor, up to 16GB RAM and 1TB storage, 4,400mAh battery, and a slim 215g design.
Foldables add two physical states to these modes:
- Inner display: the open, tablet-size screen gives split screen and multiple-window layouts enough width to be practical.
- Cover or front display: the closed phone screen is narrower. A layout that works on the inner display may be rearranged, closed, or transferred according to the phone’s continuity settings.
- Partly folded positions: some apps adapt their controls, but there is no universal split-screen behavior for every partially folded angle.
Android’s platform implementation treats split screen as a form of multi-window. Device configuration, Android version, manufacturer software, and app declarations determine whether a particular app can enter it.
Open split screen on a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold
Use the inner display
- Unfold the Galaxy Z Fold and start the app you want as the first pane.
- Open Recents. On models with Samsung’s Multi window gestures enabled, you can instead use the configured gesture.
- Tap the first app’s icon in the Recents card and choose the split-screen option.
- Select the second app from the available app list or Recents. It opens in the other pane.
- Drag the divider to resize the panes. Give a browser, document, or video enough width to remain readable; give a chat or calculator less space.
Samsung also documents a direct drag method on the front screen: drag an app to the top or bottom of the screen, then drag a second app into the remaining area. The available drop zones and labels can differ by model and software release.
Check Samsung’s gesture controls
On supported models, go to Settings > Advanced features > Multi window. Review the switches for gestures. The Galaxy Z Flip6 guide, for example, names Swipe for split screen and Swipe for pop-up view; other Galaxy models can show different options.
Save a recurring combination with App pairs
- Open the two apps in split screen.
- Use the divider or window controls to expose the option for saving the combination as an App pair (the exact icon location varies by One UI release).
- Save it to the location offered by your phone, such as the Edge panel or a home-screen shortcut.
- Tap that App pair later to relaunch both apps together.
App pairs are useful for combinations such as Calendar plus email or YouTube plus Notes. They save the pairing, not a guarantee that either app will preserve an unsaved draft or exact scroll position.
Open a floating window on Samsung
Pop-up view
- Launch the app that should appear in the smaller window.
- Open its Recents card or use the enabled Swipe for pop-up view gesture.
- Choose Open in pop-up view when that command is offered.
- Drag the title bar or window handle to move the window over the main app.
- Use the window controls to resize, minimize, maximize, or close it.
Pop-up view keeps the main app available underneath. A calculator over a form, a map over a message thread, or a password manager over a sign-in page are good short-duration uses. If the controls are hard to reach, rotate or unfold the phone and make the window larger before tapping them.
Picture-in-picture is different
Picture-in-picture (PiP) is a special floating video window controlled by the video app and Android, not the same as a general Pop-up view window. A video can continue in a small overlay while you use another app, but the app must support PiP and may impose its own playback restrictions.
Keep windows when you close a Galaxy Z Fold
Samsung documents a Continue apps on front screen setting for supported floating windows and picture-in-picture. When enabled, a supported floating window or PiP session can transfer from the inner display to the cover screen as you fold the phone.
- Open Settings and search for Continue apps on front screen, or locate it in the display or related continuity settings on your One UI release.
- Enable continuation for the apps or window types your phone lists.
- Open a Pop-up view or PiP session on the inner display.
- Close the phone and verify whether the window appears on the cover screen.
Continuity is not a promise that every split-screen pair will survive folding. The narrow cover display may collapse the pair into one app, rearrange it, or close an unsupported window. Test important workflows after a major One UI update because Samsung can change the available options.
Use split screen and floating windows on Pixel Fold and other Android foldables
Split screen through the overview screen
- Open the inner display and launch the first app.
- Open the overview or Recents screen using your navigation method.
- Tap the app icon on the first app’s card and choose Split screen when the command is available.
- Choose the second app.
- Adjust the divider or exit split screen using the on-screen controls.
Google Pixel Help documents split screen for two apps. A video window can be dragged to another position on the screen when the video app and device support that behavior. On a different manufacturer, the same function may be labelled Multi window or exposed through a custom gesture instead of the overview menu.
Use bubbles as a floating window
Android bubbles place a supported conversation or app in a small movable bubble. Tap the bubble to expand it, drag it to a convenient edge, and dismiss or disable it using the bubble controls. Google’s Pixel Help documentation says bubbles are available on Pixel Fold with Android 17; availability on other Pixel or Android foldable configurations can differ.
Bubbles are best for notifications and brief interactions. They are not a universal way to force any app into an arbitrary resizable window. The app and notification category must support bubbles, and the feature can be disabled in notification settings.
Desktop windowing on supported large-screen devices
Google describes desktop windowing as a mode that lets multiple apps open as separate windows, be resized, and be organized on supported large-screen devices. It can be entered from a full-screen or split-screen app where the manufacturer exposes the feature.
Desktop windowing is not available on every Android device. The entry point, window controls, and supported number of simultaneous apps vary by manufacturer and Android version, so check the phone’s current help documentation before relying on it for a work setup.
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- SPLIT THE VIEW. MULTITASK¹ TO THE MAX: Productivity never felt this powerful. Use up to three apps¹ at once on the expansive inner screen of Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra. You’ll enjoy plenty of space to work, play, connect and more.
- MULTITASKING MADE SMARTER WITH AI: Stay one step ahead with AI² that suggests which apps you might need next. Then view those multiple windows side by side on the large screen of your Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra.
- ANY SHOT, ALL THE DETAILS: Dive into the details of any image with our best camera on a foldable smartphone. Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra boasts a 200MP camera — and an upgraded 50MP Ultra Wide lens — for both stunning wide shots and extreme close-ups.
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Useful foldable layouts
Reference while writing
Place a browser, PDF, or video in one pane and Notes, Docs, or a messaging app in the other. Start with the divider near the center, then widen the reading pane until lines and controls are comfortable. If the second app only needs occasional input, use a floating window instead of permanently dividing the display.
Quick lookup over a full-size task
Keep the main task full size and open a calculator, password manager, map, or message thread in Pop-up view or a bubble. Move the small window away from buttons and text fields, then minimize or close it immediately after the lookup.
Recurring two-app routine
On Samsung, save a frequently used pair such as Calendar plus email or YouTube plus Notes as an App pair. This is faster and less error-prone than rebuilding the layout from Recents each time.
Hands-free viewing
A stable, adjustable phone stand can make an inner-screen split layout easier to read during cooking, video calls, or reference work. A stand changes the viewing angle only; it does not add split-screen, Pop-up view, bubble, or desktop-windowing support.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What varies between foldable phones
| Capability | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Inner-screen workspace | Screen size, orientation behavior, and the manufacturer’s multi-window implementation | Determines whether two panes are comfortable and how much each app can show. |
| Cover-screen continuity | Whether a setting such as Samsung’s Continue apps on front screen exists and which window types it covers | Controls what survives when the phone is folded closed. |
| Simultaneous windows | The number and type of windows allowed by the device, Android release, and launcher | Some phones offer only a pair of panes; others expose additional floating or desktop-style windows. |
| Saved launchers | Samsung App pairs or an equivalent manufacturer feature | Determines whether a repeated combination can be launched in one tap. |
| Resize and swap controls | Divider handles, title bars, maximize buttons, and orientation support | A window mode is useful only if you can give the active app enough room and change the arrangement quickly. |
| Floating-window support | Pop-up view, bubbles, PiP, or desktop windowing | These modes serve different purposes; support for one does not imply support for all. |
| App compatibility | Whether each app declares support for split screen, resizing, PiP, or bubbles | An app can block a mode even when the phone itself supports it. |
| Software version | Current Android and manufacturer interface release | Menu names, gestures, continuity behavior, and availability can change in updates. |
Why split screen is unavailable
The app blocks the mode
Some apps do not support split screen, resizing, PiP, or bubbles. If the split-screen command is missing or the app immediately returns to full screen, try a different app. Do not assume the foldable is defective until you test another compatible pair.
The phone or software does not expose it
Android’s multi-window behavior depends on device configuration and Android version. Desktop windowing in particular is limited to supported large-screen devices, and Google notes that the experience varies by manufacturer.
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The gesture is disabled
On supported Samsung phones, revisit Settings > Advanced features > Multi window and check the switches for split-screen and Pop-up view gestures. If you use a different manufacturer, look under multitasking, special features, or display settings.
The cover screen is too narrow
A pair that fits on the inner display may not be retained after folding. Check the continuity setting, then test each app individually on the cover screen. If only one app transfers, that is usually a supported-behavior limitation rather than a failed gesture.
The software is outdated
Install available system and app updates, restart the phone, and try again. Updates can add or remove labels and can change which apps are allowed in a window. Recheck saved App pairs after a major update.
A practical troubleshooting sequence
- Confirm the display state: unfold the phone and retry on the inner screen, where there is more workspace.
- Test a known compatible pair: use a browser with Notes or another ordinary productivity app rather than the app that first failed.
- Try the manufacturer’s documented path: Recents plus the app icon, or the enabled Multi window gesture.
- Check settings: on Samsung, inspect Settings > Advanced features > Multi window; on Pixel, check notification and bubble settings if a bubble is the goal.
- Update and restart: update Android, One UI where applicable, and both apps, then restart.
- Test folding separately: first verify the window on the inner screen, then enable the continuity option and close the phone.
- Use another mode: if split screen is blocked, try Pop-up view, a bubble, PiP, or—where offered—desktop windowing.
If the same app fails in every supported mode while other apps work, contact the app developer. If no apps offer the mode and the relevant settings are absent, consult the phone manufacturer’s support documentation for that exact model and software release.
Choosing the right mode
| Your task | Best starting mode | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Read one source while composing in another app | Split screen | Both apps stay visible and the divider gives predictable space. |
| Do a one-minute calculation or lookup | Pop-up view or a bubble | The main app remains large and the temporary tool can be dismissed quickly. |
| Keep a video playing while messaging | Picture-in-picture, if the video app supports it | PiP is designed for persistent video playback in a small overlay. |
| Launch the same pair every day | Samsung App pair or the equivalent device shortcut | The layout can be reopened without repeating the setup. |
| Arrange several independent work windows | Desktop windowing, where supported | Separate resizable windows are more flexible than a fixed two-pane split. |
Privacy, stability, and battery considerations
A floating window can cover sensitive text, camera previews, or password fields. Move it away from information you do not want to obscure, and close password managers or message threads when finished. A window that remains active may continue notifications, location access, video playback, or network activity according to the app’s permissions.
More visible apps can increase memory and battery use, especially when one app is playing video or using location. If an app reloads when you switch panes, that can reflect memory management rather than a split-screen failure. Save work before folding or changing orientation, because not every app preserves its state during a configuration change.
Quick Recap
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